Packaging of personal articles by banding bundles

Abstract

Diaper packaging having a reduced manufacturing cost may be created by bagging stacks of diapers and bundling the bags. Bands may be applied circumscribing the bundled bags of diapers. One band may be applied along a first direction perpendicular with the length of the stacked diapers. A second band may applied in a second direction parallel with the length of the stacked diapers. The bags of diapers may include several stacks of diapers, and the bundles may include several bags of diapers. For certain bundle configurations of packaged diapers, additional bands may be placed circumscribing the bundles for improved stability. Packaging by banding bundles of diapers may also be used to package other personal care articles and absorbent articles.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of packaging diapers, comprising:
 forming at least one stack of diapers;   placing the at least one diaper stack in a diaper bag;   bundling the diaper bag with at least one other diaper bag to form a diaper bundle;   applying at least one band to the diaper bundle in a first direction; and   applying at least one band to the diaper bundle in a second direction.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the step of applying the at least one band in the second direction comprises applying the at least one band in a direction parallel to a length of a diaper in the at least one stack of diapers. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the step of placing the at least one diaper stack in the diaper bag comprises placing two diaper stacks in the diaper bag, and in which the step of applying the at least one band in the cross direction comprises applying two bands in the first direction. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , in which bundling the diaper bag with at least one other diaper bag comprises bundling the diaper bag with at least three other diaper bags. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the at least one band in the first direction of the diaper bundle has a width between approximately 30 millimeters and approximately 70 millimeters. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the step of applying the at least one band in the first direction comprises applying a tension between approximately 10 grams and approximately 7500 grams. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , in which the step of applying the at least one band in the second direction comprises applying a tension between approximately 10 grams and approximately 5000 grams. 
     
     
         8 . A method of packaging absorbent articles, comprising:
 forming at least one stack of articles;   placing the at least one article stack in an article bag;   bundling the article bag with at least one other article bag to form an article bundle; and   applying at least one band to the article bundle in a first direction.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , further comprising applying at least one band to the article bundle in a second direction. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , in which the step of applying the at least one band in the second direction comprises applying the at least one band in a direction parallel to a length of an article in the at least one article stack. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 9 , in which the step of applying the at least one band in the second direction comprises applying a tension between approximately 10 grams and approximately 5000 grams. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , in which the at least one band in the first direction of the diaper bundle has a width between approximately 30 millimeters and approximately 70 millimeters. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , in which the step of applying the at least one band in the first direction comprises applying a tension between approximately 10 grams and approximately 7500 grams. 
     
     
         14 . An absorbent article bundle, comprising:
 at least two bags, each bag comprising a first stack of more than one absorbent article; and   a first band circumscribing the at least two bags.   
     
     
         15 . The absorbent article bundle of  claim 14 , further comprising a second band circumscribing the at least two bags, the second band oriented substantially orthogonal to the first band. 
     
     
         16 . The absorbent article bundle of  claim 15 , in which the first band has a tension between approximately 10 grams and approximately 7500 grams, and the second band has a tension approximately 10 grams and approximately 5000 grams. 
     
     
         17 . The absorbent article bundle of  claim 14 , in which each bag further comprises a second stack of absorbent articles. 
     
     
         18 . The absorbent article bundle of  claim 17 , in which the first band is substantially aligned with the first stack of absorbent articles. 
     
     
         19 . The absorbent article bundle of  claim 18 , further comprising a third band substantially aligned with the second stack of absorbent articles, in which the second band is oriented substantially orthogonal to the third band. 
     
     
         20 . The absorbent article bundle of  claim 14 , in which the absorbent article is a diaper and the absorbent article bundle is a diaper bundle.